Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Their son, John Paul, was born twenty years ago with a half-functioning heart, caused by hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Although this rare condition is almost always fatal, John Paul has survived and has started college. The Georges said Monday on NBC's Today Show that, time after time, they had prayed for miracles for their son.

His son's life began with a high-risk surgery, one of several that helped John Paul to survive. "We often talked about how we wished there had been someone who could have given us insight," said Derek George. "For my family, that's what it's all about, offering encouragement to parents and families with sick children or loved ones."

"We want to tell others that, when you're facing a difficult situation, there is always hope," said Annette George. "Don't give up. All things are possible with God."

In Heart of a Lion,John Paul George adds his voice to those of his parents, as he relates his struggles to persevere with a syndrome that has affected his growth. "I am very short for my age," he said. "Most people think I'm eleven years old when in reality I'm twenty."

But John Paul refuses to be held back by any disability or by negativity. "I can't change who I am," he said, "but I can change the world as I am."

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